One Year, Two Years, Always, Ever
by InSilva
Summary: Body and Soul verse oneshot. Feelings and friendships that have no time limit.


One Year, Two Years, Always, Ever by InSilva

Disclaimer: didn't create any O11 characters

Summary: Body and Soul verse oneshot. Feelings and friendships that have no time limit.

A/N: for otherhawk. The sentimental is on the loose, mate. ;)

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* * *

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September 1982

The front door went and Annie smiled and rubbed her floury hands on her apron, turning round expectantly.

Saul walked through the kitchen door, smiling to himself and then he saw her and his eyes lit up with love, as rich and as evident as it always was. He crossed to her and pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and hard. She broke the kiss and laughed and there was love and forever in her eyes.

"I missed you," Saul said softly.

Annie nodded. "Missed you too.

"Missed you more," he suggested.

"Doubt it," Annie laughed.

He held on to her and put his mouth to her ear. "I can show you how much," he whispered and she giggled and gave his shoulder a playful slap.

"You are unbelievable."

"Thank you," Saul said, affecting modesty.

Annie giggled again and then frowned. "Where's Rusty?"

"Oh. He met someone." And there was something in the way he said it.

"A girl?" Annie brightened. "What's she like?

"Not a girl," Saul corrected. "A guy."

Annie pulled free and the frown was back again.

"A guy?" she repeated. "What guy? Rusty's found a guy? Is he OK? Who is this guy? He'd better not be taking advantage of-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Saul held up a hand. "It's not a guy guy. It's the guy Bobby and Reuben mentioned. The one Carter's friend knows."

The tension slowly drained from Annie. "The one-"

"The one I wanted Rusty to meet. Daniel Ocean." Saul shrugged. "They met."

"And...?"

There was another shrug.

"There was a job," Saul said as if that explained everything and really it did.

* * *

Annie happened to be in the front room two days later when the convertible pulled up outside. She could see Rusty sat in the passenger seat and the driver was a dark-haired young man. Rusty didn't seem to be in a hurry to get out of the car and there was some conversation that apparently needed to be finished but which looked like it never would be.

She stared curiously at the driver. He was too far away for her to see properly but he was smiling and nodding right up to the point where Rusty said something and he shook his head. Rusty must have asked again - _"Are you sure?" -_ because there was another shake of the head. Then Rusty got out and closed the door and leaned against it, still talking. Eventually, Rusty stood upright and waved the man off then headed into the house.

Annie was in the hall waiting for him. He walked through the door, a smile hovering round his lips, some half-thought undoubtedly playing across his mind and then he looked up and saw Annie and there was a burst of affection in his face that flew straight to her heart. God, she loved this boy. This man. This barely-a-man who was older than his years.

She wrapped him into a fierce hug and he hugged her back. She pulled away and studied his face anxiously and she wasn't even sure what she was looking for except that this was her son and above everything she wanted him happy and safe.

"I'm fine," he reassured her gently and she flashed him a smile because he knew the questions she wasn't asking.

"Saul's called in to see Marty. Come and talk to me while I make dinner," she said.

He followed her through to the kitchen and sat at the table and obediently chopped the vegetables she gave him to prepare while she hummed to herself and started seasoning the meat.

"Saul said you met this Daniel," she said as easily as she could, concentrating on the meat, trying to sound unconcerned and breezy.

Glancing up, she saw that she had failed miserably. Rusty was grinning with affectionate amusement.

"Danny," he corrected and his voice softened. "Yeah. We met. He's a cool guy."

Annie wondered if she was imagining the look in Rusty's eyes. It seemed to be about _special_ and _extraordinary_ and all the things she knew were in _her _eyes when she met Saul. Maybe Danny was a guy guy after all...

"So tell me all about him."

"He's a coupla years older than me. He's got an apartment in NYC. He's a great poker player. He can run fast. He's got some crazy ideas." Rusty laughed to himself and then gave a guilty start as if remembering Annie was there.

"Right," she said with a bright and helpless smile and Rusty reached over and squeezed her arm.

"It's all good, Annie," he said and she saw that he meant it and the reassurance washed over her.

"Good," she replied. "Good."

* * *

Over dinner, Saul was in the middle of regaling them with a story about Marty's attempts at catching a fish when the phone in the hall went. Rusty excused himself and answered it. His voice floated through.

"Hey. No, it's OK. Yeah, but it's OK. I've finished... Where...? Hang on a minute, I'll pick this up in the other room."

"You think that's Danny?" Annie murmured, looking at Rusty's nearly empty plate.

"I reckon," Saul nodded and reached over for the dish of carrots and peas. "Have I told you how much I missed your cooking?"

"You are such a charmer, Saul Bloom." Her face grew serious. "This Danny...what do we really know about him?"

Saul looked up, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Is he-is he good for Rusty?"

Saul reached over and took her hand. "They met. They talked. I went off to call Carter and by the time I'd got back, they were in deep discussions about both the merits of the different actors who have played James Bond and how they might tackle a mark that Danny had his eye on." His lips curved at the memory. "They didn't see me at first. I walked towards them and I don't think I've seen Rusty so alive. He was leaning forward and his eyes were sparkling and he had this half-smile twitching on his lips...Danny may just be the best thing that's happened to Rusty." He pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Apart from you."

"And you," she told him seriously and pressed his hand to her face, burying her lips in his palm.

* * *

Annie carried the fruit cake through to the lounge where Rusty was sat on the couch, a map spread in front of him.

"Well, if it's only in town for a month...where...yeah..._exactly_...because they would just...right...with a full..._exactly.._we could have a look at the- yeah..." He looked up from the phone long enough to thank her for the cake with his eyes. "What? No, no, it's Annie. She's just brought me a slice of home-made cake." There was a grin. "I can eat it down the phone at you if you like. Danny's jealous." The last two words were directed at Annie and then he bit into the cake, mumbling with his mouth full, "He's got reason."

She walked back out of the room and she carried with her the picture of Rusty, almost glowing with happiness and the last of her apprehensions vanished. Danny appeared to be very good for Rusty indeed.

* * *

A couple of months later and Rusty had all but moved out and she'd watched clothes and possessions disappear, partly amused at the fact that Rusty seemed oblivious to the fact that he was now effectively living elsewhere and partly wistful that the next stage in Rusty's life had come along.

She'd met Danny. And he was as charming and as intelligent and as wonderful as Saul had said and she'd seen the way Rusty and Danny had looked at each other and however Rusty felt, it was obviously reciprocated and... It wouldn't matter. It wouldn't make a blind bit of difference - though if Danny ever hurt Rusty in any way, he'd have her to answer to - no, it really wasn't a big deal. But she wanted Rusty to know that whatever, he would never lose her love.

Rusty had said it wasn't like that.

"He makes me smile inside,"Rusty told her and she could see that and she knew how that felt and she was so _happy _for him, for them and she had no words but she could hold him and hope that he knew all the things she wasn't able to say, maybe not right at that moment but when he was older. Because meeting the special and the extraordinary was extraordinary and special in itself.

* * *

_September 2001_

_You OK?_

"You've been asking me that the whole trip and yeah."

A pause.

"It's gonna be-"

"Oh, I know."

Another pause.

"Rus…?"

The front door opened and Saul beamed at them both.

"Come on in, boys, come on in. Go on through to the patio. Marian's busy in the kitchen but I'll get some drinks and let her know you're here."

They headed out to the patio bathed in late September Floridian sunshine and sat down at the table.

_Rus…_

There was the faintest of hesitations and then the words poured out.

"I didn't know it was this serious. I mean he mentioned her but I didn't think…"

Danny's arm brushed up against his so that Rusty could feel the support and the reassurance and the always.

"He wants your blessing."

_You think I don't know that?_

Rusty gave a heavy sigh. "See, the only trouble with not being able to lie to Saul is not being able to lie to Saul."

"Yeah…" Danny agreed, wrinkling his nose. He shrugged. "Well, maybe you won't have to-"

He broke off as Saul came back through carrying a tray of glasses and beers, followed by a white-haired woman, neatly dressed with a bright smile.

"Rusty…Danny…this is Marian."

Hands were dutifully shook. "I've heard _so_ much about you."

* * *

The meal was weirdly purgatorial. Rusty and Saul were busy not looking anywhere near each other and Danny could feel the strain and the tension in the air. When someone mattered so much, you went out of your way not to hurt them.

Luckily, Marian didn't seem to notice. She was pleasant and chatty and she served up a perfectly good roast beef. More importantly, Saul looked happy every time he looked at her. She was interested in their stories and had plenty of stories of her own: who knew that working the unmentionables counter at Macy's could be quite so entertaining?

"And then his wife came round the corner," Marian said, "and he practically hurled the corset he was going to buy for his mistress back at me and declared, 'This isn't my size'." Her face crinkled at the memory and then she added, "Personally, I think she'd have taken the affair better."

Amusement danced over both their faces and Marian smiled delightedly.

"Mind you," she went on, "we have plenty of men who _do_ want things for themselves. I keep a big stock of extra large items for some of my regulars."

The smile on Rusty's face was broad and it seemed to Danny that maybe it was melting towards the genuine.

"That how you met Saul?" Rusty asked and Saul, who had been drinking a beer, exploded into a coughing fit.

"It most certainly was not," Saul said when he was quite recovered.

"No…" Marian reached over and took Saul's hand and gazed lovingly at him. "Saul was my knight in shining armour. My car broke down and I was waiting for recovery and he stopped."

Danny was looking at the adoration in Marian's eyes and at Saul, uncomfortable but not pulling his hand away, full of gruff affection. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Rusty was seeing it all too.

"Saul fixed your car?" Danny suggested and Marian laughed.

"No. Saul stayed with me so I wasn't alone. He had a thermos of coffee and we sat on the wall by the side of the road and shared it and we talked…time just flew…" She shook herself. "Anyway. Let me go and find dessert."

She disappeared and there was silence. Then Saul shuffled in his seat.

"So…what do you…"

"She seems very nice," Danny told him but Saul's eyes were on Rusty's and Rusty's were on the spoon he was toying with.

Danny waited. Rusty said nothing. Every second he said nothing seemed to grow and grow until the silence was unbearable.

"Rusty…?"

The naked plea in Saul's voice was painful and Rusty couldn't ignore it even though his eyes remained glued to the silverware.

"I…she…she's very…"

He was saved as Marian reappeared clutching a foil covered dish between two oven gloves and sat it on the placemat in front of her. She removed the foil with flourish.

"Now, then, who's for home-made apple crumble?"

There was a sharp noise as Rusty's chair was thrust back on the stone flags and then he got to his feet, white-faced.

"Sorry," he managed and stumbled up the patio steps and into the house.

Both Saul and Danny were on their feet at once.

"I'll-"

"I'll-"

"What is it?" Marian asked beseechingly. "Saul, what did I do wrong?"

"I'll go and find him," Danny said.

"No." It was stern and had all the "Daniel" wrapped up in it that Saul ever needed to stop Danny in his tracks. "You stay here."

* * *

Rusty had made it as far as the couch in the sitting room and he blinked up at Saul, standing in front of him.

"I'm sorry," he said again and ran his fingers over his face. "I'm sorry, Saul."

Saul's expression was tight.

"Am I wrong to do this, Rusty?" he asked in a low voice. "Marian…"

"Marian's fine. She's a nice lady." He looked up at Saul and he couldn't stop the tears. "She's just not Annie."

Saul's face creased in pain and Rusty was on his feet and apologising and his arms were round Saul and he felt the shudders of grief running through the older man just as they had eight years ago. Death of a soulmate and that never stopped hurting.

"I love her so much," Saul was whispering and Rusty knew they weren't talking about Marian. "I miss her so much."

"I know," Rusty soothed. "I really do."

And he did. Because even after eight years, he did too.

* * *

Marian was crying gently into a lace handkerchief.

"I messed up," she said between sobs. "I wanted so hard for you boys to like me and I messed up."

"No, no." Danny patted her hand. "It isn't you, Marian-"

"It's Annie," she finished. "Oh, I know about Annie. Sometimes, you know, Saul sits in his chair with his paper and he gets lost in some memory and I ask him if he wants a cup of tea and he looks at me and smiles…and for the briefest of seconds, he's seeing someone else. Then he sees it's me and there's this look of…_disappointment_…"

"I'm sure it's not that," Danny said firmly.

Marian didn't look convinced. "He told me about her on our first date. 'My wife, Annie…' That was right up there with the fact that he was a retired conman." She stared at Danny miserably. "I don't know what to do. Maybe moving in here wasn't so great an idea."

Danny squeezed her arm gently. "You care for Saul very much, don't you?"

Her face lit up. "He's wonderful. Such a gentleman and so kind and thoughtful and _funny…_he makes me laugh so much…"

"I think he cares for you very much too," Danny told her. "I've known Saul for about twenty years and believe me, he would never have asked you to move in with him if he didn't think you were special."

Marian brightened and then her face fell. "But Annie…Rusty…"

"Annie was amazing," Danny said sincerely. "She was a wonderful woman and Saul and Rusty adored her." He swallowed as a grey October day of grief swam before his eyes. "But neither of them thinks you're trying to take her place."

"I'm not," she said quickly.

"I know," Danny smiled at her. "It'll be alright."

"How can you be sure?" she asked helplessly.

Danny shrugged. "I know them."

* * *

They were sitting side by side on the couch.

"It was the damn apple crumble. I'm sorry, Saul."

"No, I'm sorry. I should have checked what she was making." Saul grimaced.

"I meant what I said. Marian's fine. She's lively and funny and I like her. I can see that she makes you very happy."

Saul didn't say anything for a moment and when he did, it was barely above a whisper.

"You think Annie minds?"

Rusty stared at him and then reached over and wrapped his fingers round Saul's.

"I think Annie's delighted you've found someone who makes you smile." There was a pause. "I know I am."

Saul's face relaxed for the first time since Rusty had arrived. "Really?"

"Yeah. I want you happy, Saul. And I like that Marian does that for you. Annie was...Annie. But Marian is Marian. Enjoy being with her, Saul. Show her about the right reasons in life."

Saul smiled.

"Now," Rusty said, standing up. "Shall we go back outside and I can apologise for being an idiot?"

* * *

The second half of the meal was a different affair. Rusty was relaxed and Saul was laughing and Marian looked at Danny once or twice in dazed delight as if she couldn't quite believe the change. Danny smiled reassuringly and even more so when Marian pulled him to one side and asked whether he could always see into the future.

Meal over and with the promise that Danny and Rusty would visit again in a few months' time, they stood and waved goodbye, Saul's arm firmly around Marian's shoulder.

"They're as special as you said," Marian told him truthfully.

"That's good to hear," Saul said, kissing the top of her head, "because I can tell they think you're special too."

* * *

"They'll look after each other," Danny said as they drove away. "She'll be good for Saul. Bring him out of himself." He glanced over at Rusty. "I know she's not-"

"No," Rusty agreed. "For one thing, she likes going dog-racing." He mused for a moment. "I think it's the start of a beautiful friendship."

"Well," Danny smiled. "We're in favour of that."


End file.
